TJ Galiardi's hard work with Sharks finally paying off

Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom, right, of Finland, stops a shot attempt from San Jose Sharks' T.J. Galiardi (21) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Wednesday, April 3, 2013. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

BY CURTIS PASHELKA

BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

April 7, 2013, 1:04AM

04/07/2013

SAN JOSE — TJ Galiardi feels as if he's getting the chance to show what type of player he can really be.

Less than a month after he was a healthy scratch for three straight games, Galiardi has been an important part of the Sharks' seven-game winning streak that has the team in the mix for home ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs.

The Sharks will try to wrap up a perfect seven-game homestand Sunday at 1 p.m. against the Dallas Stars.

Galiardi has played each of the last 10 games and has six points and a rating of plus-five.

In Friday's game against Calgary, Galiardi's work along the boards behind the Flames net, where he gained control of the puck from two defenseman, led to the game-winning goal by Joe Pavelski with 2:06 left in the third period.

Galiardi, a Calgary native, received a few text messages from family members in his hometown, "and a couple unhappy texts, too, from buddies who love the Flames."

"Me and Pavs, that's kind of what we've been talking about. That's our range there, right around the net. The wraparounds, the greasy ones," Galiardi said. "But it's been going well, and I think you get rewarded when you get your nose dirty."

Since Pavelski was moved to the third line, he and Galiardi have found some chemistry on the ice, as Galiardi's speed has complemented Pavelski's puck control skills. Pavelski's goal Friday was his fifth in the last seven games.

"It's a lot of fun playing with these guys," said center James Sheppard, who has played on the line with Pavelski and Galiardi since the Sharks dealt Ryane Clowe to the New York Rangers on April 2. "You come off a shift and you feel like the next shift's going to be the one. That's a nice feeling."

The line has also provided a more balanced offensive attack that has allowed coach Todd McLellan to more evenly distribute ice time, as Sunday's game marks the start of a stretch where the Sharks will play six times in 10 days.

"Sometimes for individuals, they find somebody they're comfortable with and their game comes out," McLellan said. "I think that's the case for Gali right now playing with Pav. He feels comfortable playing with him and they read off each other well."

Galiardi was acquired from Colorado at the 2012 trade deadline, but his offensive impact for the Sharks down the stretch was minimal, as he had just one goal in 14 regular-season games and was held pointless in three playoff games against the St. Louis Blues.

This year didn't start much better, as he had just three points in his first 15 games and was a healthy scratch six times in eight games before his "renaissance," as McLellan termed it, over the last three weeks.

"He needed an opportunity to step back and take a look at his game and understand how we want him to play," McLellan said. "He's brought it now, so he deserves to be in the lineup every night as long he keeps that going."

"Whether I didn't have the coaches' trust yet, or whatever it was, it was a bad time," Galiardi said of his time after his arrival. "Now that I think I've earned (McLellan's) trust, now they actually get to see the kind of player I can be."

SAN JOSE — TJ Galiardi feels as if he's getting the chance to show what type of player he can really be.

Less than a month after he was a healthy scratch for three straight games, Galiardi has been an important part of the Sharks' seven-game winning streak that has the team in the mix for home ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs.

The Sharks will try to wrap up a perfect seven-game homestand Sunday at 1 p.m. against the Dallas Stars.

Galiardi has played each of the last 10 games and has six points and a rating of plus-five.

In Friday's game against Calgary, Galiardi's work along the boards behind the Flames net, where he gained control of the puck from two defenseman, led to the game-winning goal by Joe Pavelski with 2:06 left in the third period.

Galiardi, a Calgary native, received a few text messages from family members in his hometown, "and a couple unhappy texts, too, from buddies who love the Flames."

"Me and Pavs, that's kind of what we've been talking about. That's our range there, right around the net. The wraparounds, the greasy ones," Galiardi said. "But it's been going well, and I think you get rewarded when you get your nose dirty."

Since Pavelski was moved to the third line, he and Galiardi have found some chemistry on the ice, as Galiardi's speed has complemented Pavelski's puck control skills. Pavelski's goal Friday was his fifth in the last seven games.

"It's a lot of fun playing with these guys," said center James Sheppard, who has played on the line with Pavelski and Galiardi since the Sharks dealt Ryane Clowe to the New York Rangers on April 2. "You come off a shift and you feel like the next shift's going to be the one. That's a nice feeling."

The line has also provided a more balanced offensive attack that has allowed coach Todd McLellan to more evenly distribute ice time, as Sunday's game marks the start of a stretch where the Sharks will play six times in 10 days.

"Sometimes for individuals, they find somebody they're comfortable with and their game comes out," McLellan said. "I think that's the case for Gali right now playing with Pav. He feels comfortable playing with him and they read off each other well."

Galiardi was acquired from Colorado at the 2012 trade deadline, but his offensive impact for the Sharks down the stretch was minimal, as he had just one goal in 14 regular-season games and was held pointless in three playoff games against the St. Louis Blues.

This year didn't start much better, as he had just three points in his first 15 games and was a healthy scratch six times in eight games before his "renaissance," as McLellan termed it, over the last three weeks.

"He needed an opportunity to step back and take a look at his game and understand how we want him to play," McLellan said. "He's brought it now, so he deserves to be in the lineup every night as long he keeps that going."

"Whether I didn't have the coaches' trust yet, or whatever it was, it was a bad time," Galiardi said of his time after his arrival. "Now that I think I've earned (McLellan's) trust, now they actually get to see the kind of player I can be."